Sunday, August 22, 2021

A year mistake in “Thirty Minutes Over Oregon”

I found a goof midway through my book Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: A Japanese Pilot’s World War II Story (I wish they’d add back page numbers to picture books!).



A sentence reads as follows: “And the residents of Brookings largely forgot about their close call—until 1962.”

It should be 1961. (Nobuo visited in 1962, but the town hatched the idea and sent the invite letter in 1961.)

This will be corrected in future printings.

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Milton in “The Suicide Squad” not a reference to Bill Finger

In the film The Suicide Squad, Polka-Dot Man grows especially fond of a minor character named Milton. 



Online there be rumors or theories that the name “Milton” is a nod to Bill Finger, who co-created PDM (not to be confused with TDK), and whose birth name was Milton.

Alas, it is not true, as confirmed by writer-director James Gunn himself. So a bummer, but a cool way to receive that bummer.


However, Bill is in the movie, on the list of the comics creators thanked in the credits (unfairly, none in connection to any specific characters).

Thursday, August 5, 2021

First in-person author talk since 3/12/20 (18 months ago)

Today I stood on a stage to give a presentation to human beings in the same room for the first time since March 12, 2020. 

Memorable enough in its own right, even more so because it was my daughter’s school. 

Best of all: she introduced me.

The offstage epilogue:

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

Biographer of underdogs, Superman of author presentations

Just now discovering (or possibly rediscovering) a blog post sharing a Jewish-themed podcast I did nearly a decade ago. I was touched and tickled by two ways I am described: the title “biographer of underdogs” and, from the comment, “the Superman of author presentations.”

This micro-post is brought to you by summer.